When a new version of a game you particularly enjoy is announced, there is usually a brief moment of pure optimistic glee that occurs, in spite of the cynicism that years of disappointment have built in gamers like a well-worn callus. Much as I slag on Guitar Hero nowadays, I still couldn't help but feel that thrill when I saw IGN's exclusive on the guitar strumming game's DS port, Guitar Hero: On Tour. But then I actually took an objective look at it.
Admittedly, making a guitar-based rhythm game on a portable system small enough to fit in your front pocket is no easy task. That being said, in spite of Vicarious Visions' (the development team for Guitar Hero: On Tour) best efforts, the fret board peripheral (which plugs into the GBA slot of the DS) still looks to be an incredibly awkward way to play, with players strumming with a specially developed pick stylus and wrapping their left hands around the back of the DS to grip the peripheral. Even if the video had not made me want to push both actors down a flight of stairs, this would still have left me less than impressed.
Guitar Hero: On Tour will feature a similar career mode to its home system-based predecessor, as well as multiplayer options supporting both co-op and competitive play. The battle mode started in Guitar Hero III will be implemented on the DS, with power-ups causing rabid fans to swarm the screen of the opponent's DS, forcing them to sign autographs with the stylus until they've sufficiently appeased their starstruck admirers, as well as a bevy of other battle power-ups that implement DS-specific functionalities in unique ways.
Ultimately I can't confidently say this will end up being as awkward and awful as I suspect it might, and a sliver of hope remains, if for no other reason than I'd really like to enjoy the Guitar Hero series once again. Hope springs eternal here at Destructoid HQ, so maybe, just maybe, this will actually end up being a really awesome port of a franchise that's begun to wither on the vine.
[Thanks, Adam!]
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21 comments + 95764 views
Idea: Great! Ad: suckage
That looks like the COMPLETELY most uncomfortable way to play that game. I won't pass judgment yet, though. Maybe it just takes some getting used to.
soooooo dumb
O. M. G. - this is actually happening?!
This looks fine and all. But I own one of those fatass gray things that they used to call a DS, and it's got a full-size GBA slot. So does this mean I can't play it now?
No way... That just looks ridiculous...
This is the dumbest idea and the greatest Groupie simulator game at the same time.
THAT IS. THAT ISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!
TOTALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!!!
UNCOMFORTABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(and stupid)
umm.. what?
That better be comfortable to hold or I really dont want to play it.
No orange button of pain?
ukelale hero
EPIC FAIL!
@Qraze: I'd play that in a heartbeat.
Actually, that looks like it might be comfortable, but the problem is that isn't not like playing a guitar. The novelty of the guitar games is that you're playing a faux insturment. Here, you're playing a handheld.
Also, the gimmicks like blowing to put out flames and signing autographs is really dumb.
Fun rhythm game? Sure. Fun guitar game? Not a chance, fancy pants. And I was initially optimistic about this too. Le sigh.
I dunno, it looks pretty good for what it is.
I'm with Phoenix Gamma; this makes the game just an exercise in button pressing, not a guitar game. That's not to mention that the DS speakers are not conducive to rocking out...
at Qias. i would too. but not guitar hero mini or that other one guitar hero3 or rock band. i really hope guitar rising is coming to consoles. i play the real guitar and mine are $70 at pawn shops just as much as a plastic guitar (gasp) with game. its not that hard to learn expecting peoples guitar hero skills might benefit just a little. no soup for you
That actually looks pretty neat.
I don't care what anyone else says, that looks pretty damn spiffy.
Also, oh wow my grammar is horrible in my comment. Way to fuck up conjunctions, PG.
I saw this in the community blogs and laughed.
Accordion Hero??
Great now I defiantly won't play my DS in public.
They still have those horrid horrid battle modes it seems.
That already turns me down.
I doubt that 4 buttons will be a challenge either.
Fail.
We're all gonna die.
The problem with this is that it looks uncomfortable, and aside from the strumming, it doesn’t approximate playing a real guitar at all. With a real guitar, your left hand is at arm’s length, while your right hand is strumming near your midsection. In this case, to be able to see the fretboard on-screen, you’d have to hold it out in front of your face.
say whaaaa
Wow.
Just watching this makes me feel gay.
I don't really want to know how you feel when you actually use that...thing.
it is what it is, looks far more graceful than anything i woulda come up with, but some games aren't intended to be portable.
Doesn't look as bad as I was expecting and it may actually shift loads.
Look at it this way folks. One the summer heat rises and aeveryone is dressing less, most people want to be outside. This would be a great game to take with you.
As for the sound, I wouldn't be surprised if this had the hook to a guitar amp option, like Jam Sessions.
What I want to know is how they are gonna handle and store the music. Are we looking at EBA quality or better tracks here? And what about DLC?
Ugh. Just ugh.
@Cataract
That's exactly what I was thinking, lol. It totally doesn't look like you are playing a guitar and I imagine it won't feel like it either. Looks much more like Accordion Hero.
Kinda lame in my opinion.
A. I still have a DS phat
B. I might like this if you didn't have to strum
C. Can we get audiosurf on DS plz?
@Heretic
I think this was the actual time of death.
A game and peripheral for smacking dumb ass teen actors would be better.
Custom songs could save this.
I hope they have demos or something up. Who would buy that without trying first.
Thats what made Guitar Hero so successful in the first place. Retail stores like Best Buy and WalMart's were setting it up in their stores and everyone knew how it played and how fun it was.
No one is going to go out and buy this without trying it.
Unless your a Guitar Hero whore.
I got off that band wagon when Rock Band came out.
Now if that was Rock Band for DS... I'd be buying that day one!
at Dan,custom and nintendo don't mix well together. i can't figure out why don't do a frequency type control on the ds, so now its not just the game you buy but a otherwise worthless add-on. i can see all the nobody playing it now. and yeah let it hook up to a real amp,that's genius and what about the add-on for that and the blown amp for plugging a game boy up to it.only an officially licenced game boy amp will do and that's all it would be used for. fuck ukelale hero, get the real thing man. #1_in_the_hood_G!!
This is the best possibility for playing Guitar Hero on the DS... however, it probably shouldn't be played on system in general. I love the DS, and Guitar Hero... but think about it:
No one plays DDR or Guitar Hero on the controllers, though it's possible with both. Why would it possibly work without the completely separate peripheral?
Make a different game. Violin Hero would actually work quite well with that controller. How about make a little keyboard attachment for Piano Hero, with the touch screen as pedals? Trumpet Hero, using the microphone to regulate the notes. Christ, I'm not even getting paid for this. How about release one for EVERY INSTRUMENT, then make it so they can all link together for Symphony Hero! WHERE'S MY PAYCHECK NINTENDO!?
will it be in STEREO?
Wow this looks retarded.
As a huge fan of plastic guitars, I am not sure how I feel about this.
Wait, oh actually yeah this is one of the most retarded things ever.
I think this peripheral is actually quite cool, for what it is. I expected it to be much worse. I even like the commercial - it's intentionally cheesy, like a throwback to those terrible/awesome commercials from the 80s. ("Crossfire" - need I say more?)
Creative yes, comftorable, remains to be seen. As much as the hardcore fans of the GH series play the game this looks uncomftorable. The picture from Cypher looks a hell of a lot better and it looks like it would be more fun to play. Also 4 buttons and not 5, fail.
What about lefties?
it doesnt look that unconfortable, really.
Is going to sell well, but is it going to sound well? Even with earplugs?
It has a chance of working, but... it looks kind of lame. I'm most annoyed about strumming by using the stylus. That's just too entirely unnatural. Do not want.
Do you really want to play guitar hero on the go?? You won't get good sounds and you won't be able to rock out.
I think they are slaughtering the cash cow with this one.
This looks like a good way to port a peripheral based game to a handheld system.
Looks like it´s gonna be like holding a handycam, and i don´t know if that hurts, since you rarelly press the buttons.
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